Railway car coupler

ABSTRACT

AN INTERLOCKING KNUCKLE TYPE CAR COUPLER HAVING AN AUXILIARY INTERLOCKING LUG MOUNTED ON A SHELF CARRIED ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COUPLER HEAD. THE AUXILIARY LUG HAS A RAMP PORTION ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE BOTTOM FORWARD EDGE OF A SHELF CARRIED BY AN OPPOSED MATING COUPLER TO PERMIT ALIGNMENT OF THE COUPLERS FOR COUPLING WHEN TWO OPPOSED COUPLERS ARE ANGULARLY AND/OR VERTICALLY MISALIGNED A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT AND WHEN THE KNUCKLES OF THE OPPOSED COUPLERS ARE EACH IN AN OPEN POSITION DURING THE COUPLING OPERTION. THE INTERLOCKING COUPLER HAS AN ALIGNING WING POCKET AT THE KNUCKLE SIDE OF THE COUPLER CARRYING VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER INTERLOCKNG LUGS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH AN ALIGNING NOSE ON THE GAURD ARM OF A SIMILAR COUPLER. THE LOWER INTERLOCKING LUG AND GUARD ARM ALIGNING NOSE ARE MODIFIED TO IMPROVE THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL GATHERING CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN THEIR COOPERATING SURFACES DURING THE COUPLING OPERATION OF TWO OPPOSED COUPLERS WHEN THE COUPLERS ARE VERTICALLY AND ANGULARLY MISALIGNED.

P 0, 1971 K. L. o: PENTI 3,606,032

RAILWAY cm courwn Filed March 23, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN'I'OR.

KFAWI'I'IILDEHWTI p 20, 1971 K. L. DE PENTI 3,606,032

RAILWAY CAR COUPLER Filed March 23, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 9 INVENTOR. I mwrmzn mmvr/ United States Patent 3,606,032 RAILWAY CAR COUPLER Kenneth L. De Penti, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to Midland-Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Mar. 23, 1970, Ser. No. 21,831 Int. Cl. B61g 3/04 US. Cl. 213-152 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An interlocking knuckle type car coupler having an auxiliary interlocking lug mounted on a shelf carried on the lower portion of the coupler head. The auxiliary lug has a ramp portion adapted to slidably engage the bottom forward edge of a shelf carried by an opposed mating coupler to permit alignment of the couplers for coupling when two opposed couplers are angularly and/or vertically misaligned a predetermined amount and when the knuckles of the opposed couplers are each in an open position during the coupling operation. The interlocking coupler has an aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler carrying vertically spaced upper and lower interlocking lugs adapted to cooperate with an aligning nose on the guard arm of a similar coupler. The lower interlocking lug and guard arm aligning nose are modified to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between their cooperating surfaces during the coupling operation of two opposed couplers when the couplers are vertically and angularly misaligned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As yard personnel assemble a train in a classifying yard, the knuckle on the leading end of the railway car to be coupled is generally thrown to its open position prior to the coupling operation while the knuckle on the car coupler on the trailing end of the car is in closed position. In this manner, coupling of the rolling car to the stationary car is generally assured during humping operations since inadvertent closure of the knuckle on the trailing end of the car is avoided upon impact of the cars if the reverse procedure were followed. However, at times, both knuckles on the opposed car couplers are required to be in an open position during the coupling operation to increase the horizontal gathering capabilities of the opposed couplers. If the knuckles on the opposed mating couplers are both open, an attempted coupling operation may still be successful if the opposed coupler heads are vertically displaced relative to each other an amount less than three inches and the shank centerlines of the opposed couplers are in longitudinal alignment. If, however, the opposed coupler heads of two A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking couplers are vertically displaced relative to each other an amount in excess of approximately two inches and the shank centerlines of the opposed couplers are angularly misaligned sufficiently to bring the open knuckle noses into contact with each other during the coupling operation, the opposed couplers will not couple because of mating surface interferences between the couplers.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a coupler of the interlocking type having a shelf on the lower portion of the coupler head with an improved auxiliary interlocking lug which will promote both vertical and lateral alignment of two opposed couplers having their knuckles in an open position during an attempted coupling operation when: (1) the opposed couplers are vertically misaligned an amount in excess of approximately two inches, and (2) the shank centerlines of the two opposed couplers are angularly misaligned sufficiently to 3,606,032 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 bring the knuckle noses of the open knuckles into contact with each other during the coupling operation.

A corollary object is to modify the lower interlocking lug structure that is provided on the aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler sufliciently so as to avoid mating surface interference with the aligning nose on the guard arm of the opposed coupler with which it cooperates during closure movements of the couplers when the couplers are vertically and angularly misaligned during a coupling operation.

A further object of the invention is to modify the aligning nose structure on the guard arm so as to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between the cooperating surfaces of the lower interlocking lug and guard arm nose during closure movements of the opposed similar couplers as mentioned in the preceding object.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, with respect to which the invention is described below:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of two opposed A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking railway car couplers shown approaching each other with their knuckles in the open position during an attempted coupling operation when the couplers are vertically misaligned to the extent illustrated in FIG. 3 and when their respective shank centerlines are angularly misaligned sufficiently to bring the knuckle noses of the open knuckles into contact with each other;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the couplers in FIG. 1 showing the surface interferences between the opposed couplers that prevent coupler realignment during final closure movements of the couplers;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 showing the extent of overlap between the guard arm nose on one coupler and the lower interlocking lug of the other coupler after the attempted coupling operation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the lefthand coupler shown in FIG. 3 and illustrating the improved auxiliary interlocking lug of the invention and the lower interlocking lug structure modified in accordance with the invention, with the knuckle being illustrated in phantom and in its closed position and with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug shown in FIG. 3 being illustrated in phantom and in overlying relation with the improved lug;

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4 showing both interlocking lugs, with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug and the knuckle being shown in phantom;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view of the interlocking lugs shown in FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6, with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug being shown in phantom;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary side, top and front views, respectively, of the prior art lower interlocking lug shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and illustrating the structural shape of the lug in considerable detail prior to being modified in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the guard arm nose modified in accordance with the invention, as viewed from the knuckle side of an A.A.R. alternate standard type F car coupler;

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view taken along line 1111 in FIG. 10 of the guard arm nose;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the guard arm nose taken along line 1212 in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 3, showing the improved mating surface engagement achieved between the modified nose on the guard arm on one coupler with the modified lower interlocking lug on the other coupler and the engagement between the improved auxiliary intrelocking lug of the invention on one coupler and the bottom forward edge of the shelf on the opposed mating coupler.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, F designates a railway car coupler known as the A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking car coupler. Coupler F comprises a head having a shank 16 intogrally united therewith and is shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 in two different stages of an attempted coupling operation with an opposed similar coupler F when the respective longitudinal central axes LL and LL of the couplers are angularly and vertically misaligned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Head 15 has on one side of its longitudinal axis a guard arm 17 having a forwardly projecting nose 18 and at the other side of the axis spaced upper and lower bearing lugs 19, 20. A vertically extending contour surface 21 having a forwardly facing bufiing surface 22 connects the rearward ends of the bearing lugs and guard arm to form a knuckle receiving recess 23. Head 15 carries a knuckle 24 that is journalled to the bearing lugs for pivotal movement from the open posi-' tion as shown in FIG. 1 to a closed position.

A rearwardly extending aligning wing pocket 25 having a laterally outwardly facing outer wall 25a is horizontally offset from the central axis LL on the knuckle side of the coupler head an is adapted to receive the guard arm nose of another coupler having a nose similar to that shown at 18 during an attempted coupling operation. The aligning wing pocket 25 has a pair of vertically spaced interlocking lugs 26, 27 equidistantly spaced above and below the central axis LL. The interlocking lugs, in combination with lateral wall 25a, form a wedge shaped recess 28 adapted to cooperate with the nose 18 of an opposed similar coupler to align the couplers vertically and to afford vertical interlock between the two opposed couplers when the couplers are brought together during a coupling operation.

A depending extension 30 projects from the bottom of the coupler head and has a horizontal shelf 31 which is spaced directly under the knuckle receiving recess 23 and in forward spaced relation to buffing surface 22. The forward portion of shelf 31 terminates with a vertical forward edge 32 at the knuckle side of head 15 and a concave contour edge 33 on the guard arm side as shaped and as shown in FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention and as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, an auxiliary interlocking lug is mounted on the bottom portion of shelf 31 and is positioned on the knuckle side of the longitudinal central axis LL. Lug 40 projects forwardly from the shelf and terminates with a forward end portion 41 spaced forwardly of buffing face 42 of knuckle 24 when the knuckle is in its closed position as in FIG. 4. Lug 40 has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined ramp portion 43 adapted to cooperate with the bottom portion of forward edge 32 of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation as mentioned hereinafter. Preferably, end portion 41 terminates approximately 14 inches below the horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of the coupler head, and ramp portion 43 has an angle of inclination of approximately 65 degrees. To emphasize the degree of structural change over the auxiliary interlocking lug of current de sign (as indicated by numeral 45 in FIGS. 1 and 3) and as used on the railway cars in interchange service on presently approved A.A.R. alternate standard type F car couplers, auxiliary lug 45 is shown in heavy dot-dash lines in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and in overlying relation to lug 40. For example, it will be noted that: (1) end portion 41 of lug 40 is orientated further forwardly and downwardly from shelf 31 than the extreme forward end of lug 45, (2) ramp portion 43 has a greater angle of inclination than the inclined portion of lug 45, and (3) end portion 41 of lug 40 terminates forwardly of bufiing face 42 on knuckle 24 when the knuckle is in its closed position; whereas the extreme forward end of lug 45 terminates rearwardly of buffing face 42 when the knuckle is in a corresponding like position.

Lower interlocking lug 27 projects forwardly of the aligning wing pocket 25 and terminates with a tapered portion 49 having a fiat vertical front surface 50. Both upper and lower forward corners, and inboard and outboard forward corners of the tapered portion are cut away to form bevelled surfaces 51, 52, 53 and 54. These four bevelled surfaces interconnect the front surface with top and bottom surfaces 55, 56 and laterally spaced inboard and outboard side surfaces 57, 58. The upper inner and outer corners of the lug are also bevelled as shown at 59, 60.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary views of the lower interlocking lug of current service design and as incorporated on presently approved A.A.R. alternate standard type F car couplers. In comparing the structure of this lug with interlocking lug 27 having the improved tapered portion 49, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, it is easily seen that the area of modification to lug 27 pertains to the inclusion of bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60. Bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60 are provided to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristic of interlocking lug 27 with the lower inboard portion of guard arm nose 18 on an opposed interlocking coupler and as mentioned hereinbelow.

Advancing to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, fragmentary side, bottom and front views of the improved guard arm nose 18 are shown. Nose 18 is tapered both vertically and horizontally to provide inboard and outboard curved side surfaces 65, 66 and top and bottom sloping surfaces 67, 68. Surfaces 67 and 68 each intersect an upper and lower horizontal flat surface 69 and 70. Surfaces 69, 70 cooperate with the upper and lower interlocking lugs 26, 27 to afford vertical interlock between two opposed coupled couplers. The upper and lower forward corners of inboard side surface 65, at its juncture with the horizontal and flat surfaces, are each cut away to form top and bottom inclined surfaces 71, 72. Surfaces 71, 72 are provided to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between the interlocking lugs 26, 27 of one coupler and the guard arm nose 18 of the opposed mating coupler during coupler alignment. Nose 18 is symmetrical about a plane A-A that contains the longi tudinal central axis LL, with the exception of an additional charnfered surface 73. Surface 73 interconnects inboard side surface 65 with bottom inclined surface 72 and is provided to improve the gathering characteristics between the nose 18 of one coupler and bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60 on the lower interlocking lug 27 of an opposed interlocking coupler.

As two alternate standard type F railway car couplers, not embodying the invention, approach each other during a coupling operation with (1) their opposed knuckles open, and (2) their longitudinal axes angularly and vertically misaligned, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the opposed couplers will attempt to realign themselves in the following manner. During the attempted coupling operation the knuckle noses 75, 75' of each coupler will slidably engage each other as shown in FIG. 1 and move towards their respective knuckle receiving recess 23 and 23. During this movement the outer lateral edge 76' of top interlocking lug 26 on coupler F will engage the inside sur face 65 of the guard arm of the opposed coupler F. Further movement of the couplers towards each other will permit knuckle nose 75' on coupler F to engage the inner tail portion 77 on knuckle 24. As the couplers continue their movement towards each other, knuckle 24 is urged by knuckle 24 to pivot towards its closed position until its nose 75 engages top pivot pin bearing lug 19' on coupler F. Thereafter nose 75 slides along the inner contour surface of bearing lug 19' towards the bufiing surface 33. As knuckle 24 moves towards its closed position,

its nose 75 engages the inner tail portion 77 of knuckle 24' to urge that knuckle to its closed position. During this portion of the closure movements of the couplers, the couplers attempt to angularly align themselves; thus causing the outer lateral edge 76' on top interlocking lug 26 of coupler F to slide over surface 65 towards the tip of nose 18 on coupler F until it slips over the nose and into overlying relationship therewith. During this period of coupler realignment, the forward portion of inner vertical surface 65' on nose 18 overlaps the lower interlocking lug 27, shown in FIG. 3, and engages the forward outer corner portion 78 of the lug (FIG. 7) to wedge the opposed couplers in the noncoupled condition as viewed in FIG. 3. During the latter portion of the attempted coupling operation, it will also be noted that the forward end portion of auxiliary interlocking lug 45 on coupler F engages the forward edge 32 on shelf 31' of the opposed coupler.

As may be seen from FIG. 13, when two opposed type F couplers formed in accordance with the present invention are brought together in mating engagement under conditions corresponding to those as outlined in the preceding paragraph, the inclined ramp portion 43 of auxiliary interlocking lug 40 on one coupler will engage the bottom portion of forward edge 32' on shelf 31' on the other coupler. As this engagement occurs, shelf 31' of the lower coupler slides over lug 40 on the opposed coupler to lift the lower coupler upwardly as the couplers move toward each other. Such lifting action forces the inside surface 65' of nose 18' on one coupler to slide upwardly over outboard side surface 58 on interlocking lug 27 on the other coupler until the chamfered surface 73' on nose 18' engages bevelled surfaces 54 and 60 on tapered portion 49 of interlocking lug 27. Complementary surfaces 60 and 73' function to guide nose 18' in the upward direction and onto bevelled surface 52 of interlocking lug 27 as the auxiliary interlocking lug 40 continues to raise the lower coupler until the opposed couplers become substantially aligned during the final closure movements of the couplers. Thereafter the knuckles of the two opposed couplers are 'brought into their clasping knuckle closed position to complete the coupling operation.

What is claimed is:

.1. An interlocking knuckle type car coupler comprising:

(A) a head having a guard arm at one side of its longitudinal central axis and spaced upper and lower hearing lugs arranged at the other side thereof, a knuckle journaled to said bearing lugs for pivotal movement from an open position to a closed position, said guard arm having a forwardly extending aligning nose, said head having an aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler adapted to receive the nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation to laterally align the couplers, and said wing pocket having vertically spaced upper and lower interlocking lugs projecting forwardly therefrom adapted to cooperate with the nose of an opposed similar coupler to align the couplers vertically during coupling;

(B) surface means on the lower interlocking lug adjacent its forward end adapted to cooperate with an overlapping inboard portion of the nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation to assist in vertical and lateral alignment of the couplers when the couplers are angularly and vertically misaligned a predetermined amount and when the knuckles of the opposed couplers are each in open position during the coupling operation to permit said aforesaid overlapping relationship; and

(C) a shelf arranged at the bottom of said head and having a horizontal portion spaced downwardly from said knuckle, said shelf having an auxiliary interlocking lug offset toward the knuckle side of the coupler from a vertical plane containing said longitudinal central axis, said auxiliary lug projecting forwardly from-the shelf and terminating with an end portion disposed forwardly of said knuckle when the knuckle is in its closed position, said auxiliary lug having a ramp portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its forward end portion adapted to slidably engage the bottom forward edge of the horizontal shelf portion of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation when the knuckles of the opposed couplers are each in an open position and when the longitudinal axes of the opposed couplers are angularly and vertically misaligned said predetermined amount, and said slidable engagement between said ramp and shelf portions forcing the couplers to move to a position of alignment to permit coupling by causing said overlapping nose portion on the opposed coupler to slide over said surface means on said lower interlocking lug of the mating coupler during a coupling operation.

2. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said lower interlocking lug has a front surface and laterally spaced inboard and outboard side surfaces joined by vertically spaced top and bottom surfaces, and said surface means comprises at least two interconnecting bevelled surfaces connecting said top, front and outboard side surfaces.

3. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said aligning nose is tapered both vertically and horizontally and comprises inboard and outboard side surfaces and top and bottom inclined surfaces, and a chamfered surface interconnecting said inboard surface with said bottom inclined surface.

4. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said ramp portion has an angle of inclination of approximately 65 degrees.

5. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

(A) said end portion of said auxiliary lug is spaced approximately 14 inches below the horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of said coupler.

6. An interlocking knuckle type car coupler compris- (A) a head having a forwardly projecting guard arm nose at one side of its longitudinal central axis and an aligning wing pocket at the other side thereof adapted to receive the guard arm nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation;

(B) a knuckle journaled to the head for pivotal movement from an open position to a closed position; and

(C) a shelf arranged at the bottom of said head and having a horizontal portion spaced downwardly from said knuckle, said shelf having an auxiliary interlocking lug projecting forwardly from the bottom of said horizontal portion and adapted to underlie the horizontal portion of the shelf of an opposed mating car coupler, and said auxiliary lug terminating forwardly of said knuckle when the knuckle is in closed position and having a ramp portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly, said ramp portion being adapted to slidably engage the bottom forward edge of said horizontal shelf portion of an opposed mating ooupler as the couplers approach for coupling from predetermined vertically misaligned positions and with their knuckles in open position.

7. An interlocking knuckle type car coupler compris- (A) a head having a for-wardly projecting guard arm nose at one side of its longitudinal central axis and an aligning wing pocket at the other side thereof adapted to receive the guard arm nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation;

(B) a knuckle journaled to the head for pi'votal movement from an open position to a closed position; and

(C) vertically spaced upper and lower interlocking lugs projecting forwardly from the top and bottom of said 7 aligning wing pocket and adapted to cooperate with the nose of an opposed similar coupler to align the couplers vertically during coupling, said lower interlocking lug having a fiat vertical front surface and laterally spaced inboard and outboard side surfaces joined by 'vertically spaced top and bottom surfaces, a first bevelled surface connecting said top surface with said front surface, a second bevelled surface spaced from said top surface and connecting said outboard side surface with said front surface, and a third bevelled surface connecting said outboard surface with said top surface and said first and second bevelled surfaces, said bevelled surfaces adapted to improve the vertical and lateral gathering characteris- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,203 7/1951 Metzger 2l3153 2,772,791 12/1956 Wolfe 213-15O 2,881,927 4/1959 Furniss 213-151 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

tics between the cooperating surfaces on the guard 15 2l3l53, 154 

